Wagon-bed



No. 6|3,509. Patented Nov. I898.

J. GUNN.

WAGON BED.

(Application filed Dec. 1, 1897.) (N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' of Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GUNN, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

WAGON-BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,509, dated November 1, 1898. Application filed Decembenl, 1897. Serial No- 660,4=46- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN GUNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby, State of Tennessee, have in= vented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Beds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention is an improved wagon-bed; and it pertains to the construction and arrangement of all the parts, as shown and explained in the drawings hereto attached.

The object of my invention is to provide, in combination, an improved means of unloading a wagon, and especially when loaded with earth, gravel, broken stone, sand, coal, manure, garbage, and other substances which may be safely dumped by force of their own weight when support is removed, and with this object in View my invention consists in the peculiar construction, combination, and arrangement of the same, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings hereto annexed, constituting a part of this specification, Figure l is a plan View of the wagon-bed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of same, taken along the line A B Fig. 4 is a cross-section of same, taken along the line C D of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the bed. Fig. 6 is a front view of eccentric trip-bar. Fig. 7 shows the end of trip-bar or engaging ring I), also the plate 0 and the chains (1 and e, as seen from the inside of the bed. Fig. 8 shows a section through the side of bed, showing elevation of trip-bar and manner of attaching chains (1 and e to the trap-door f and the bottom of the bed g, respectively.

The invention is an improved wagon-bed having hopper-shaped ends j, vertical sides It, anda flat bottom g and f, except a cone in the center it, the bottom consisting of a longitudinal center section g, with a trap-door on. each side f, hinged to the center section, so as to drop downward when released, each of which trap-doors when closed is attached to and held in place by chain d to an eccentric trip-bar a, and each of which is released and dropped by revolving the trip-bar half round. Y I

The bed is made of wood or other material and of any size desired.

, On each side of the center piece is a trapdoor five feet long and thirteen inches wide, secured to the bottom of the center piece with metal hinges n, having an eye in each end firmlybolted to the center piece. These trapdoors are held in place by a chain (1, fastened one foot from each end of each door with eyebolts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The central ring b rests on eccentric trip-bar a, as shown in detail on Figs. 4, 7, and 8. Chains, (marked e,) as shown on Figs. 1, 3, and 4 and more especially on Figs. 7 and 8, are atzthe upper end fastened to the side of bed about two and one-half inches below the top of bed and at or near the edge of the metal plates, through which the trip-bar revolves, and the lower ends are attached to a metal plate 2', bolted to the center section of bottom of the bed, all as shown by drawings. These chains are under those which support the doors and are of length sufficient to allow the doors to fall to a vertical position, or nearly The purpose of these chains (marked e) is to act as a brake and to prevent a too rapid fall of the doors and to hold the supportingchains of the doors in such position as to be readily reached and replaced on the trip-bar. The load is discharged by raising the eccentric trip-bar a (shown on Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6, '7, and 8) to a vertical position. The chains supporting the doors are attached to a ring I), which rests on the inside end of the eccentric trip-bar, as shown on Figs. 7 and 8. The eccentric trip-bar is made of metal eighteen inches in length, one and five-eighths inches in diameter Where it passes through the collar and plates, and about three-fourths of an inch in diameter below that. It has two curves of ninety degrees each, with a collar between the two plates, as shown on Fig. 8, and has a ball at the lower end of handle of about one and five-eighths inches in diameter. The bar is shaped and placed as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. It revolves in a hole through the side of the bed one and fiveeighths inches in diameter, as shown in said figures. The inside end is so beveled on lower side and at the point that when the handle is raised to a perpendicular position the chain is thrown or dropped ofi, thus opening the door on that side of the Wagon. On each side of the bed are metal plates 0 and c, bolted to the bed,with a hole one and five-eighths inches in diameter, through which the trip -bar works, as shown in the three views, Figs. 6, 7, and 8. The inside endsj of the bed slope downward and strike the bottom at end of each trap-door.

The load is discharged by elevating by hand the handle of the eccentric trip-bar to a vertical position, when, by reason of the bevel shape of inside end and point of the trip-bar, the ring or eye of the chain is thrown or falls off, the door falls open, and one-half the load is discharged. Then in same manner by raising the trip-bar on the other side of the wagon the balance of the load is discharged. The

trip-bar, by reason of its weight, keeps the doors in position until the handle is raised, and when the load is discharged resumes its original position. The doors are then raised by hand and the chains replaced on trip-bars.

Although I have specifically described the construction and relative arrangement of the several elements of my invention, I do not desire to be confined to the same, as such changes or modifications may be made as may clearly fall within the scope of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

In a Wagon-bed of the character described the combination with a trip-lever a journaled in the side of said bed and having an upturned point of ahinged trap-door with chains 61 attached thereto, and adapted to hook over the lever-point, in the manner described.

J OIIN GUNN.

\Vitnesses:

ROBT. GARSIDE, SAMUEL I'IOVVLES. 

